Parents need to know that The Odd Life of Timothy Green is a Disney family film that uses "magical realism" to explain how an infertile couple gets to parent the kid of their (literal) dreams. As you might expect from the premise, the movie gets pretty weepy at times (for both on-screen and off-screen parents), but it will remind families about the joy of being together and being each other's biggest cheerleaders. There are a couple of sad scenes, as well as some bullying incidents and language, but otherwise this is the sort of live-action movie that kids and adults can enjoy together, even if they need a tissue or two by the end.

Families can talk about The Odd Life of Timothy Green's emphasis on parent-kid relationships. How does Timothy get along with his parents more than most on-screen kids?

How does the movie portray bullying? Did the Greens handle Timothy's humiliating incident as you would have expected? What are some positive ways to handle bullying?

What do you think of the story's magical elements? Would you have preferred it to end a different way? Why do you think Timothy's time with the Greens was temporary?

The good stuff

Messages: Some sweet messages about family, parent-child relationships, and the joys of living in a small town where everyone knows each other. Timothy makes people think, isn't afraid to tell the truth when no one else will, and has no problems being different.

Role models: The Greens are wonderful parents. They're caring, encouraging, and love him unconditionally. Timothy himself is as magical as you'd expect: earnest, kind, and generous in spirit, without a mean bone in his body. He always tells the truth and sees the beauty in everything. He's an optimist and unafraid of failure. He's a sweet example to kids about always looking at the bright side.

What to watch for

Violence and scariness: Some kids will be disturbed by the fact that Timothy magically disappears, just as he first appeared. It's an emotional, upsetting scene, and tears should be expected. A grandfather dies in front of his loved ones in a hospital. Timothy is bullied/humiliated by classmates but doesn't realize it, since he's never been in school. Joni saves Timothy from drowning at a birthday party.

Sexy stuff: Brief kisses between Mr. and Mrs. Green, and Timothy and Joni have a unique, incredibly close relationship that could be construed as a strong crush.

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